Although the city of Seattle passed its first regulations on teen musical events in 1967, enforcement was minimal. In 1985, the city’s Teen Dance Ordinance tried to severely tighten up regulations on youth dance clubs and musical events, citing drug use, sexual abuse, and underage drinking. This led to several decades of protest. Opponents pointed to the effect this had on the local music industry, and several groups, including the Youth Defense Campaign, organized to try to repeal these and other laws affecting youth.

This 1986 Youth Defense Campaign handbill urges people to attend a meeting at Lincoln Hall, in Seattle’s Belltown, to hear pros and cons about the Teen Dance Ordinance. The handbill strongly states the position of the group on this and other issues.

Caption information source: Teen Dance Ordinance, Seattle Municipal Archives. https://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives/exhibits-and-education/seattle-voices/teen-dance-ordinance.